you want it darker { tommy shelby }

fourteen: toxic city

"so it seems that every time i die i wake up,
when it's time to meet my maker i'll be ready for it."
——

As Grace walked to the art gallery - her usual meeting place with Campbell - each step was heavy. The prior night she had told the Inspector of the whereabouts of the guns, but she also gave the police false information about the whereabouts of Thomas and Iris so they couldn't be arrested like Campbell had planned. Of course she had, they had been good to her, so she couldn't just betray them completely.

All she wanted to do was to wash her hands of the whole operation and stop interfering with the lives of those she had once detested but now understood. They involved themselves in the business they did not because of a lack of moral code, but for a yearning of status. In this city of smog and sickness, they were looked down upon by the rest of the country. In fact, Grace had done the same when she first arrived. She had saw them and judged them unfairly.

To them, earning money was the way to break the curse of poverty and to enter into the world of luxury and wealth. It just didn't matter how they earned it.

She didn't see Campbell in the usual place, she only saw Sergeant Moss. As soon as he noticed her, his face curled into a disgusted sneer. He quickly handed her a letter and leaned in so their faces were centimeters apart. "Traitor."

Grace took the letter and waited until he left before reading it:
Dear Grace

I write this letter to you with a heavy heart. I know exactly what you did and whom it was you protected. I will not mention any of it in my report. However, you should be aware that I know you betrayed us for people that are our sworn enemy. Your father would be ashamed of you. And as for myself, I am beyond desolation. You have betrayed every principle and standard of honour that was your birthright. And for what?

Blinking the tears from her eyes, Grace managed to choke out the words she had whispered to herself when deciding which side of this battle she lay on: "Loyalty."
                              ——
Iris and Thomas walked into the betting den, both of them more relieved than they could say. As far as they could tell, there was no longer a party of coppers looking for them over the guns, and Arthur informed them that their father left Birmingham (granted, he stole money from them while doing so). The only thing they had to worry about was the business with Billy Kimber; and the possible threat of Alfie Solomons showing up. Iris hadn't even mentioned her ex's demands to Thomas, she thought too little of it. However as the day arrived that he would be expecting his money, she almost regretted it. What if he did show up? She had next to no savings to offer him, and £1000 would bleed the business dry right now. Nevermind, she thought, they had a battle to prepare for.

"Right. I've brought you all here today because this is the day we replace Billy Kimber. This is the day we become respectable. The day we join the official National Association of Racecourse Bookmakers. But first, we do the dirty work. We've all known this days been coming. I just haven't told anyone the date. We're going to the Worcester Races. The track opens at one, we get there at two. Now, Kimber thinks we're going there to help him to fight the Lee brothers. But thanks to the effort of our John, and his lovely new wife Esme, the Lees are now our kin." Thomas paused, a smirk on his lips. "I interrupted those efforts this morning and I can assure you all, John is making great sacrifices for the cause of peace."

"Yeah. All right." John muttered, but he couldn't help the smirk which slipped over his mouth.

"Enough, Thomas." Iris hummed, sending a disapproving glance to her husband.

Once the immature sniggering died down, Thomas continued. "So, it'll be us and the Lees against Kimber's boys. We take them out, but leave the bookies. I expect a swift victory which will send a signal all the way to London that we believe in letting legitimate businesses run peacefully."